CPD for teachers: Professional Update and professional learning
For teachers registered with GTCS, EWC in Wales, or GTCNI.
What the General Teaching Council for Scotland asks for
Teaching is regulated separately in each UK nation, and only Scotland ties CPD directly to registration: GTCS registrants confirm Professional Update every five years, keeping a reflective record of professional learning. Wales and Northern Ireland register teachers through EWC and GTCNI. England has no registering body tying CPD to registration, so English teachers keep records for their school or trust rather than a regulator.
Common questions
Do English teachers have a CPD requirement?
Not a statutory one tied to registration. Records are usually kept for a school, trust or appraisal process instead — which is what the general record here is for.
How often is Professional Update confirmed?
Every five years, which is why the record here defaults to a five-year period rather than the twelve months most other schemes use.
Next step
Professional Update record: Your reflective record across the five-year cycle, with reflection treated as required rather than optional.